The List: 5 Jun 2003 (Issue 469)

l or many art students the next tew weeks wrll prohahly he the rrrost stressful part ol therr course as they prepare to mount therr degree shows. lhrs trrrre has long heen regarded as therr ‘comrng of age' and a detrnrnr; moment rn therr artrstrc careers. Many are hurlt up to helreve that alter tour years ot non gradrng} that then degree mark actually makes a drtterence to therr creatrve tutur'e and that glrtterrng careers are launched alter that one momentous nrght. lhese mrsconcer)trons are largely the tault ot certarn tutors whose grasp on the realrtres tacrng young) ar'trsts are as far removed as then own ttxrchrng; ahrlrtres.

'l he professional practrce course delrvered weeks before the trnal assessment seems for many a token gesture at a wholly rnapproprrate trrne. But elements of thrs event are crucral to a student's career post-art school and should he rmplemented as part of the currrculum much sooner. Wrrtrng proposals. hecomrng sell employed and trnancrng your practrce are all essentral elements to exrstrng; as a prolessronal ar'trst. It's a prty that many art schools treat thrs as an alterthought.

Any exhrhrtron should he the realrsatron ot Ideas to the best ot the artrst's ahrlrtres at that pornt rn trrne. But rt should also be the startrng pornt to movrng; on and dmeloprng turther and therefore should he treated wrth a crrtrcal perspectrve. As a result. the degree show should be seen not as an end to four years ot studyrng hut the begrnnrng ot a creatrve future. lnrtratrve. locus. dr'rve and the ahrlrty to keep these skrlls alter art school are what the graduatrng student needs at thrs trme . . . as well as a large supply of alcohol tor the openrng nrght!

90 THE LIST

Art

Exhibitions are listed by city, then alphabetically by venue. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to art@list.co.uk, by post or by tax on 0131 557 8500. Listings are compiled by Helen Monaghan.